The Best of Arthur C. Clarke
Encyclopedia
The Best of Arthur C. Clarke: 1937-1971 is a collection of science fiction
short stories
by Arthur C. Clarke
originally published in 1973.
The stories, written between 1937 and 1971 originally appeared in a number of periodicals including Amateur Science Stories
, Zenith, The Fantast, Fantasy, Startling Stories
, Astounding, Science Fiction Quarterly, Ten Story Fantasy, Infinity Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
, The Evening Standard, Vogue
, Analog, If
, Boys' Life
and Playboy
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
by Arthur C. Clarke
Arthur C. Clarke
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
originally published in 1973.
The stories, written between 1937 and 1971 originally appeared in a number of periodicals including Amateur Science Stories
Amateur Science Stories
Amateur Science Stories was a short-lived science fiction fanzine notable for publishing Arthur C. Clarke's first stories, including Travel by Wire!, Retreat from Earth and How We Went to Mars....
, Zenith, The Fantast, Fantasy, Startling Stories
Startling Stories
Startling Stories was an American pulp science fiction magazine, published from 1939 to 1955 by Standard Magazines. It was initially edited by Mort Weisinger, who was also the editor of Thrilling Wonder Stories, Standard's other science fiction title. Startling ran a lead novel in every issue;...
, Astounding, Science Fiction Quarterly, Ten Story Fantasy, Infinity Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction
The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction is a digest-size American fantasy and science fiction magazine first published in 1949 by Mystery House and then by Fantasy House. Both were subsidiaries of Lawrence Spivak's Mercury Publications, which took over as publisher in 1958. Spilogale, Inc...
, The Evening Standard, Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
, Analog, If
If (magazine)
If was an American science fiction magazine launched in March 1952 by Quinn Publications, owned by James L. Quinn. Quinn hired Paul W. Fairman to be the first editor, but early circulation figures were disappointing, and Quinn fired Fairman after only three issues. Quinn then took over the...
, Boys' Life
Boys' Life
Boys' Life is the monthly magazine of the Boy Scouts of America . Its targeted readership is young American males between the ages of 6 and 18.Boys' Life is published in two demographic editions...
and Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
Contents
The contents include:- 1933: A Science Fiction Odyssey
- "Travel by Wire!"
- "Retreat from Earth"
- "The Awakening"
- "Whacky"
- "Castaway"
- "History LessonHistory Lesson (short story)"History Lesson" is a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1949.The two-part story speculates on the cooling of the Sun as a doomsday scenario for Earth and an evolutionary advent for Venus.-Plot summary:...
" - "Hide and Seek"
- "Second Dawn"
- "The SentinelThe Sentinel (short story)"The Sentinel" is a short story by Arthur C. Clarke, which was expanded and modified into the novel and movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. Clarke expressed impatience with the common description of it as "the story on which 2001 is based." He was quoted as saying, it is like comparing "an acorn to...
" - "The StarThe Star (short story)"The Star" is a science fiction short story by English writer Arthur C. Clarke. It appeared in the science fiction magazine Infinity Science Fiction in 1955 and won the Hugo award in 1956. The story was also published as "Star of Bethlehem"...
" - "Refugee"
- Venture to the MoonVenture to the MoonVenture to the Moon is a group of six linked science fiction short stories by Arthur C. Clarke. It was originally published in Evening Standard in 1956. The stories describe the first manned mission to the Moon in 1975, as a joint American-Russian-British mission, and are narrated in first...
- "The Starting Line"
- "Robin Hood, F.R.S."
- "Green Fingers"
- "All That Glitters"
- "Watch This Space"
- "A Question of Residence"
- "Into the CometInto the Comet"Into the Comet" is a science fiction short story by Arthur C. Clarke. It was originally published in Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1960. It is one of several stories by many science fiction authors in which problems are solved by reverting to 'primitive' technology...
" - "Summertime on IcarusSummertime on Icarus"Summertime on Icarus" is a science fiction short story by Arthur C. Clarke, first published in 1960. It was also published under the title "The Hottest Piece of Real Estate in the Solar System".-Plot summary:...
" - "Death and the SenatorDeath and the Senator"Death and the Senator" is a science fiction short story by Arthur C. Clarke. It was originally published in 1960 and has since been included in several collections of Clarke's writings.-Plot summary:...
" - "Hate"
- "SunjammerSunjammer"Sunjammer" is a science fiction short story by English author Arthur C. Clarke. It was originally published in 1963. It has also been published under the title "The Wind from the Sun" and has been included into Clarke's 1972 collection of short stories with this title.-Plot summary:John...
" - "A Meeting with MedusaA Meeting with MedusaA Meeting with Medusa is a science fiction novella by Arthur C. Clarke. It was originally published in 1971 and has since been included in several collections of Clarke's writings.-Plot summary:...
" - Bibliography